From
the Rector
So another year bites the dust. As I look back over
2007 I can recall both some high points and some
low points. I guess the lowest was the sudden loss
of Barrie Gleave whereas, and in sharp contrast,
a very definite high point was the re-ordering of
the chancel and dedication of the work carried out
in memory of Wilfrid Spalding (incidentally the
connection with the Spalding family will continue
next spring when I conduct the wedding service of
one of Wilfrid and Jean’s grandchildren).
Overall I think we can reasonably claim that 2007
has been a year of consolidation. It would be nice
to report dramatic growth but this, in truth, has
not been the case, but it is good to report that
the church is in a much healthier state than it
was a few years ago. On what basis can I make that
claim? Firstly on a numerical basis: the numbers
attending church are considerably higher than when
I arrived. Secondly, the levels of giving have increased
significantly in that time. Thirdly we now have
a thriving youth club and are also involved more
heavily with other youth-related activities, as
well as working closer than ever with the two schools
of the parish. Fourthly when I arrived we gave next
to nothing away to charity and/or missionary work.
Last year, in one way or another, we contributed
over £3,000 to such projects. Finally, and
as I wrote last month, ecumenical relationships
are, I would be so bold to say, better than they
have ever been. So all in all we have a picture
of a church that is in pretty good health.
However, the health of a church, like the health
of a person, can deteriorate very quickly unless
we are careful. To avoid such a decline we need
the full and effective support of the parish as
a whole (after all St. Michael’s is the parish
church – available for everyone and not just
the sole preserve of a few religious ‘nutters’
who happen to go there on Sundays) if the church
is fully to be able to build a base for the future.
Sadly we don’t know what the future holds.
As far as I understand it I am still going to be
made redundant in a little less than three years,
and from that moment on it is possible that Hoole
will cease to have its own parish rector (not even
a half-time one such as myself). For sure someone
will have oversight of St. Michael’s, and
it is even possible that Hesketh Bank may join with
us in some way, but everything is still very unclear.
One thing for sure though is the fact that the stronger
the life of the church the more difficult it becomes
for the Diocese to do away with a local clergyman
(or woman). So this is why I appeal to everyone
to support the church – use it or lose it
– as we move into 2008.
The
topic of money is never far from the surface and
we have just learned of our Diocesan quota for next
year. The increase is not as bad as I had feared,
which is good news, but the reality is that we need
to raise at least £700 each week – and
this is before we pay any expenses for the church
such as heat, light and maintenance. That is a lot
of money for a small parish and so yet again I would
urge you, even if you only attend church on an occasional
basis, to try and give a little money regularly
to support the very existence of a church in the
parish. I think it would be tragic if due to lack
of funds, the church initially was to lose its own
minister and who knows, eventually, had to close
down for lack of support. What would that say about
the village? We do about thirty baptisms and a dozen
weddings each year plus, of course, a regular supply
of funerals. If there is no clergy person, who will
do them? Will they be able to be done at all? These
are questions we must consider seriously whilst
we still have the possibility of influencing future
thinking. I cannot give any guarantees, but Hoole
will fare much better in arguments with the Diocese
if they are made from a position of numerical strength
and financial stability. For sure it won’t
be any good people complaining in three years’
time that there ain’t no vicar if they haven’t
been prepared to do something about it themselves
in the meantime.
Next
month I shall give a breakdown of all the facts
and figures pertaining to the ministry at St. Michael’s
in 2007. Meanwhile let us move forward in confidence
and in faith into 2008 and let us ensure that this
year is a year of growth in every sense of the word
for our very special and precious church. I shall
sign off by wishing you all God’s blessings
for the year ahead.
Steve
Ladies’
Group
Many thanks to all those who supported our Christmas
Coffee Evening with Bob and Barbara Worswick, who
entertained us with carols and songs. Through your
generosity we have been able to send £350
to Derian House Children’s Hospice.
This month, on Tuesday 15th January at 7.30pm, our
AGM & Social Evening takes place. It’s
never the dull event that some AGMs are, particularly
as it’s followed by some entertainment –
this year in the form of “a Lancashire evening”.
Please, as usual, bring along a small wrapped gift.
Subs are to remain at £5.00. If you have an
evening free and would like to come along, you’d
be made most welcome.
Christian
Aid News – Christmas Appeal for Trees
Many of you have supported this appeal for trees
and saplings either through buying a tree to stick
on the desert or through the Christmas envelopes.
The trees which are bought are of many varieties
and have many uses. Some are fruit trees which provide
essential vitamins for communities; others are trees
used to stabilise and enrich eroded soil so that
crops can again be grown in deforested areas.
Simiton from Malawi and Miriam from Senegal are
two of many people who have expressed their appreciation
for saplings already received through Christian
Aid. Simiton uses leaves from his trees as compost
for his soil and now grows twice as much food as
before. His family now have much better nutrition
and he is also able to sell some crops to his neighbours.
In addition, by selling this produce Simiton is
raising enough money for his daughter to train as
a nurse. Miriam can take the fruit from her trees
to market to provide an income for her family and
also finds the shade which the trees provide enables
her to grow a variety of other crops. (For families
like those of Simiton amd Miriam, the income which
the trees provide are often the only way in which
medical care and education – and hence hope
for the future – become accessible.)
Wheelchair
Walk in Wales
Thank you to all of you who supported us. We are
very grateful to the members of Longton and New
Longton Methodist Churches who have shown such an
interest in this event.
We very much enjoyed the walk (ride!) – a
scenic track, along the North Wales coast, almost
entirely in bright, sunny October weather. Many
of you will also be interested to hear that we saw
Brenda Leigh and Gwynneth three times during our
week in the Colwyn Bay area, enjoying light refreshments
at Brenda’s sea-view apartment on our walk
past, worshipping with them at their lively church
in Llandudno on the Sunday morning and being entertained
to lunch by Brenda in Penrhyn Bay before our return
home.
The total for our walk is now over £4,500
- and we know that there is still a little more
to come. We have very much appreciated the way in
which people have supported these medical (and medical-related)
projects and continue to express our own gratitude
for the medical help which Cliff has received over
the past twenty months.
Later in January we shall distribute the money between
Christian Aid and the other small charities, including
FOMO in Malawi and Ngora Hospital and the medical
dispensary and Rainbow House of Hope in Uganda.
Rainbow
of Hope Concert
The South Ribble Concert Band has kindly arranged
to give another concert for us: “A Rainbow
of Hope for the Children of Africa”. This
will be held on Thursday 7th February at 7.30pm
in St Andrew’s Church Hall, Longton and will
be followed by a supper. Tickets will soon be available
from the Churches’ Christian Aid representatives.
Proceeds will be divided between FOMO, the Rainbow
House of Hope in Uganda and the Soroptimists’
education work in Africa.
Cath Greenlees (613500)
www.hoolevillage.com
You may have noticed that our web site address has
changed. The original web site was set up mainly
to cover the events concerning the Transit of Venus
in 2004; it served the purpose well and we thank
William Johnson for his work in setting it up at
that time.
However we now have a completely new web site which
we hope will give a wider interest covering all
aspects of village and local issues. Whilst the
church figures prominently – the church
guide produced at the time of the Transit by
Barrie Gleave is on there, and has been enhanced
with some very good new photographs, and is well
worth looking at – it is not just a church
website, it is intended to provide information regarding
all local organisations.
We are grateful to Bill Carr, our churchwarden emeritus,
for his hours of work in getting this site set up
in conjunction with Mark O’Hanlon of Hesketh
Bank, who is the driving force behind the excellent
Tarleton and Hesketh Bank village website. Should
you have any information regarding other local organisations
or are able to supply any information of local interest
please initially contact Bill on 615321.
CHURCH
CALENDAR
Sunday Jan 6th Epiphany
9am Holy Communion (BCP) Rector
10.45am Holy Communion (CW) Rector & S Pickles
3pm Evensong (Said) Rector
Sunday 13th January Epiphany 2 (Baptism of Christ)
9am Holy Communion (BCP) Rector
10.45am United Service at Walmer Bridge Methodist
Church
3pm Evensong (Said) Rector
Sunday
20th January Epiphany 3 (Septuagesima)
9am Holy Communion (BCP) Rector
10.45am Holy Communion (CW) Rector & S Pickles
3pm Evensong (Said) S Pickles
Sunday
27th January Epiphany 4 (Sexagesima)
9am Holy Communion (BCP) Rector
10.45am Family Worship Rector & S Pickles
With Bradbury Special Needs Scout Group
3pm Evensong (Said) Rector
Sunday
3rd February Sunday next before Lent (Quinquagesima)
9am Holy Communion (BCP) Rector
10.45am Holy Communion (CW) Rector & S Pickles
3pm Evensong (Said) S Pickles
Wednesday
6th February Ash Wednesday
7.00pm Holy Communion (CW) Rector & S Pickles
Sunday
10th Lent 1
9am Holy Communion (BCP) Rector
10.45am Morning Praise Rector & S Pickles
3pm Evensong (Said) Rector
It hardly seems possible when, a fortnight before
Christmas whilst preparing this the January edition
of the magazine, that we are giving notice of the
services for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of
Lent: yes, Easter is going to be very early this
year (Easter Day – Sunday March 23rd). However
during the season of Lent we shall be holding our
services of Holy Communion with a short talk on
Tuesday evenings at 7.00pm as usual, and we hope
to see you there. |